Somehow I doubt that Gawker's intent, when they decided to publish the anonymous recollections and cropped photos of some dude who claims to have had a sexless "one night stand" with Delaware Republican Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell three years ago, was to make me feel profound sympathy for and a fierce protectiveness of someone whose politics and personal philosophies I find utterly loathsome, but, on the off-chance that was the intention: Mission Accomplished!

Publishing this despicable, woman-hating passage has to be one of the most horrendous personal smears I have ever seen in US politics, against any candidate:

[T]here were signs that she wasn't very experienced sexually. When her underwear came off, I immediately noticed that the waxing trend had completely passed her by.

Obviously, that was a big turnoff, and I quickly lost interest. I said goodnight, rolled over, and went to sleep.

And Gawker is so proud of that passage, it's highlighted in a pull-quote. Because, of course, it's the worst thing you can say about a woman: Christine O'Donnell is unfuckable.

Who cares about her politics. Who cares about her competency. Who cares about her policy proficiency. Some random dude who doesn't even have the spine to share his Very Important Insights under his real goddamn name thinks Christine O'Donnell's snatch was too hairy.

I can think of few things that underline how profoundly misogynist a culture we live in than the decision to consider that worthy of publication.

What an absolute disgrace.

And what a very pointed message to send to women who might be considering a public career: Don't get too uppity. This, too, can be done to you.

This piece will almost certainly be defended on the basis that Christine O'Donnell holds policy positions that are not female-friendly. But that is not how feminism works. This piece is comprehensively unjustifiable.

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Holy Shit

[Trigger warning for slut-shaming, body-policing, ageism, misogyny.]

Somehow I doubt that Gawker's intent, when they decided to publish the anonymous recollections and cropped photos of some dude who claims to have had a sexless "one night stand" with Delaware Republican Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell three years ago, was to make me feel profound sympathy for and a fierce protectiveness of someone whose politics and personal philosophies I find utterly loathsome, but, on the off-chance that was the intention: Mission Accomplished!

Publishing this despicable, woman-hating passage has to be one of the most horrendous personal smears I have ever seen in US politics, against any candidate:

[T]here were signs that she wasn't very experienced sexually. When her underwear came off, I immediately noticed that the waxing trend had completely passed her by.

Obviously, that was a big turnoff, and I quickly lost interest. I said goodnight, rolled over, and went to sleep.

And Gawker is so proud of that passage, it's highlighted in a pull-quote. Because, of course, it's the worst thing you can say about a woman: Christine O'Donnell is unfuckable.

Who cares about her politics. Who cares about her competency. Who cares about her policy proficiency. Some random dude who doesn't even have the spine to share his Very Important Insights under his real goddamn name thinks Christine O'Donnell's snatch was too hairy.

I can think of few things that underline how profoundly misogynist a culture we live in than the decision to consider that worthy of publication.

What an absolute disgrace.

And what a very pointed message to send to women who might be considering a public career: Don't get too uppity. This, too, can be done to you.

This piece will almost certainly be defended on the basis that Christine O'Donnell holds policy positions that are not female-friendly. But that is not how feminism works. This piece is comprehensively unjustifiable.

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